Liquid atomizer with supply holder for carrier fluid



Oct. 29, 1968 YUKIYA FUKUI LIQUID ATOMIZER WITH SUPPLY HOLDER FOR CARRIER FLUID Filed Sept. 2, 1966 ZT 1 22 24 21% 50 1% -+11 1;; 4g 4 i5 10 0 iii 7 40 44 M 9 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

YUKIYA FUKUI.

ATTORNEY.

LIQUID ATOMIZER WITH SUPPLY HOLDER FOR CARRIER FLUID 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 2, 1966 INVENTOR.

YUKIYA FUKUI.

ATTORNEY.

r 3,408,010 Ice I Patented Get. 29, 1968 3,408,010 LIQUID ATOMIZER WITH SUPPLY HOLDER FOR CARRIER FLUID Yukiya Fukui, IchikaWa-shi, Japan, assignor to Kabuslnkl Kaisha Mitani Valve (Mitani Valve Co., Ltd.)

Filed Sept. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 577,049 Claims priority, application Japan, Sept. 3, 1965, 40/54,004 4 Claims. (Cl. 239-308) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to improvements in a liquid atomizer for jetting a liquid under pressure.

Heretofore, it has been well known a that a liquid to be jetted and a liquefied gas for pressuring the liquid are contained within a single chamber of a container. Frequently such a container requires either to use a special expensive gas for preventing the gas from excessive resolution into a liquid to be jetted or to provide an elastic partition for isolating the two contents from each other. However, even by such means as above, it is impossible to jet the liquid in variable manner, and, in addition, to use an easily soluble gas into a liquid with it.

One object of this invention is to provide a liquid atomizer for jetting a liquid under pressure, which may be useful with any liquified gas.

Another object of this invention is to provide a liquid atomizer for jetting a liquid under pressure, in which the liquid may be jetted in such various manner as either finely or roughly.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a llquid atomizer for jetting a liquid under pressure, in which it is possible to limit a quantity of either of the liquid or a gas for pressuring the liquid to be consumed for an operation.

Briefly stated in accordance with one aspect of this invention, there is provided a liquid atomizer comprising a liquid chamber, a gas chamber separated from and arranged axially below said liquid chamber, a liquid jetting nozzle adapted to be communicable with said liquid chamber through a passage, a gas jetting nozzle adapted to be communicable with said gas chamber through another passage and arranged inwards and adjustably apart from said liquid jetting nozzle along a common radial axis so that said gas jetting nozzle may jet a gas contained in said gas chamber under pressure into the first-named passage between said two nozzles and that a liquid contained in said liquid chamber may be aspirated by the jetted gas and jetted through said liquid jetting nozzle with said gas, a means for controlling the pressure subjected to said liquid in said liquid chamber, and a means for mantling said two chambers.

The invention will be better understood and other objects and additional advantages of the invention will become apparent upon perusal of the following description taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axially vertically sectional view of an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken on the line II-H of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 are axially vertically sectional views of modifications thereof, respectively.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the preferred embodiments of this invention will now be described; however, this description will be understood to be illustrative of the invention and not as limiting it to the particular constructions shown and described. In FIGS. 1 and 2, there .is a liquid atomizer comprising a gas chamber 1 for containing liquified gas. The gas chamber 1 has an opening 2 provided with a sealing cap 3. An upper external flange of a valve casing 6 is inserted between the cap 3 and the opening 2 together with an elastic disc 5 arranged on the flange and an annular packing 4 arranged under the flange. The valve casing 6 has an internal flange 7 at the vertical middle thereof so that a quantitative chest 13 is formed between the elastic disc 5 and the internal flange 7. A bottomed tubular member 9 is fixed on the lower half of the valve casing 6 so as to form a valve chest 14. A central hole is provided through the bottom of the external tubular member 9 and extended into a suction pipe 8 extending into the proximity of the bottom of the gas chamber 1. A valve body 10 is arranged inside the valve chest 14 under the internal flange 7 and loaded by a coil spring 11 compressed between the valve body 10 and the bottom of the external tubular member 9 so as to close an opening 12 formed through the internal flange 7. The sealing cap 3 and the elastic disc 5 are penetrated by an engaged with a valve pipe 15 at the middle part thereof. The lower end of the valve pipe 15 is extended into the opening 12 apart from the internal flange 7.

There is a liquid chamber 16 above the gas chamber 1. The liquid chamber 16 has a lid 17 so as to close it fluidtightly by means of an O-ring 18. A recess 19 is formed on the outer surface of the top wall of the lid 17 which is covered by and engaged with a semi-spherical elastic cap 20. The space under the semi-spherical elastic cap 20 is communicated with the interior of the liquid chamber 16 by means of a small hole 21 formed through the lid 17. The bottom 22 of the liquid chamber 16 is thick enough to form an edgewise bore 26. In the edgewise bore 26 is arranged a liquid jetting member 24 having a radial liquid jetting nozzle 29 and a tubular recess behind the nozzle 29. Inside the tubular recess is arranged a gas jetting member 25 with an annular clearance between a tubular body thereof and the tubular body of the liquid jetting member 24. The gas jetting member 25 is formed with a gas jetting nozzle arranged behind and coaxially with the liquid jetting nozzle 29. The liquid jetting member 24 is so adapted as to be movable along the axis of the nozzles whereby the fineness of mist leaving the liquid jetting nozzle 29 may becontrolled. The liquid jetting nozzle 29 is communicated with the interior of the liquid chamber 16 through the annular clearance and a passage 23 provided through the bottom 22 of the liquid chamber 16. The gas jetting nozzle is communicated with a bottomless central space 26 through the interior of the tubular body of the gas jetting member 25. The central space 26 is arranged axially at the center of the bottom 22 and adapted to receive the upper end of the valve pipe 15 fluid-tightly and has preferably a large volume for functioning as a gas expanding chamber.

The liquid chamber 16 is placed above the gas chamber 1, compressing a spring 28 therebetween. The lower half of the liquid chamber 16 and the upper half of the gas chamber 1 are surrounded by a connecting tube 27 snugly which has a radial hole and is revolvable around the two chambers 16 and 1 so as to expose the liquid jetting nozzle 29 behind the radial hole and shelter it. The turning motion of the connecting tube 27 is guided and limited by a protrusion 33 of the bottom 22. The above structure is contained inside an outer casing 30 provided with a jetting opening arranged coaxially with the jetting nozzle 29 and an outer cap 31 which is adapted to be removable for operation. It is preferred to provide a stand 32 either integral with or removable from the outer casing 30 for stabilization.

- In operation, at first the outer cap 31 is removed and then the semispherical elastic cap 20 is pushed down manually so as to push the liquid contained in the liquid chamber 16 out thereof through the passage 23 towards the liquid jetting nozzle 29. By pushing down the elastic cap 20 further against the action of the spring 28, the liquid chamber 16 is lowered so as to lower the valve pipe 15 which, in turn, lowers the valve body against the action of the spring 11 so as to communicate the valve chest 14 with the quantitative chest 13. When the valve body 10 is lowered apart from the internal flange 7, a gas pressured inside the gas chamber 1 flows out thereof through the suction pipe 8, valve chest 14, the clearance between the valve body 10 and the internal flange 7, and the clearance between the valve pipe and the internal flange 7 towards the quantitative chest 13. When the valve pipe 15 is further lowered against the action of the spring 11, the top end of the suction pipe 8 is closed by the bottom boss of the valve body 10 so as to disconnect the valve chest 14 from the interior of the gas chamber 1. Meantime, the quantitative gas confined inside the quantitative chest 13 has been expanded while a quantity of the gas confined inside the valve chest 14 is pressured highly so that the quantitative chest 13 has been filled with the pressured gas when the valve body 10 is restored to the uppermost closing position by releasing the liquid chamber 16. The quantitative pressured gas confined inside the quantitative chest 13 flows towards the gas jettting nozzle under its own pressure and jets therethrough so as to aspirate the liquid allowed to approach there and jet again through the liquid jetting nozzle 29 carrying the liquid when the valve pipe 15 is opened again to the quantitative chest 13. It is to be seen that the gas confined inside the quantitative chest 13 has a predetermined volume so that, when the limited gas has been consumed down to a pressure, the jetting action is ceased automatically. When the elastic cap and the liquid chamber 16 is released, all parts are restored by virtue of the springs and elastic members. During the inoperative period the gas chamber 1 is prevented from any leakage by means of a packing mounted on the valve body 10. It is also to be seen that the liquid contained in the liquid chamber 16 does never flow out thereof as far as the elastic cap 20 is kept in the released state. The connecting tube 27 serves to mantle the liquid jetting nozzle 2) completely during the atomizer is not used.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, two modifications of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are illustrated, respectively. These modifications are substantially similar to the first embodiment in action and effect but has another structure at the quantitative chest 13 and the passage 23. In FIG. 3, a valve pipe 15 has a valve body integral therewith as the bottom thereof and a radial hole. The interior of the valve pipe 15 is adapted to be communicated with the quantitative chest 13 through the radial hole and the clearance between a lining member and the valve body when the valve pipe 15 is lowered to its lower position. The lining member 35 is closely placed on the internal wall of the valve casing 6 and keeps an elastic semi-spherical member 34 in place. The elastic semi-spherical member 34 has an outer flange and a central hole. The outer flange is inserted between the lower end of the lining member 35 and the bottom of the valve casing 6. The quantitative chest 13 defined by the bottom of the valve pipe 15, the lining member 35 and the semi-spherical member 34 is communicated with the interior of the gas chamber-1 through the central hole of the semi-spherical member 34, the central hole of the valve casing 6, and the suction pipe 8. The semi-spherical member 34 is adapted to be pushed down, closing the central hole thereof, by a central boss formed on the bottom surface of the valve pipe 15 when the latter is brought into the lower position. The capacity of the quantitative chest 13 may be easily changed merely by replacing the lining member 35 having another thickness.

The bottom of the liquid chamber 16 illustrated in FIG. 3 is neither so thick nor provided with the edgewise bore 26 as that shown in FIG. 1. There is provided an intermediate member 36 having the edgewise bore 26. The upper surface of the intermediate member 35 is formed with an axial recess and an axial bore. The axial bore of the intermediate member 36 is adapted to receive snugly a downward protrusion 38 of the bottom of the liquid chamber 16 so as to guide the latter for lowering motion thereof. The axial recess of the intermediate member 36 is provided with an elastic centrally perforated conical member 37, of which the central passage is adapted to receive a downwards extended liquid pipe 23 formed through the bottom of the liquid chamber 16 and be opened only during the conical member 37 being pushed down by the liquid pipe 23.

In the modification illustrated in FIG. 4, another valve is provided in the liquid chamber 16, which comprises a valve rod 39. The passage 23 illustrated in FIG. 1 is transferred to the center and somewhat enlarged, in which a tubular member 42 is mounted. A partition 41 having a central hole 43 is formed as an internal flange of the tubular member 42 at the axial intermediate thereof. A valve body 44 is adapted to be positioned under the partition 41 by virtue of a coil spring 45 compressed between the valve body 44 and the bottom shoulder of the passage. The valve rod 39 is formed with an intermediate flange and the bottom end. The intermediate flange is adapted to close the upper half space of the tubular member 42 when the valve rod 39 is lowered, so as to define a quantitative chest 40 for the liquid taken out of the liquid chamber 16. The bottom end of the valve rod 39 is inserted into the central hole 43 with a clearance. The valve body 44 is lowered against the coil spring 45 when pushed down by the extremity of the bottom end of the valve rod 39, so as to communicate the quantitative chest 40 with the liquid jetting nozzle. At the same time, the quantitative chest 40 is cut otf from the liquid chamber 16 by the intermediate flange of the valve rod 39.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, a container 16' for a liquid is inverted and utilized for the liquid chamber as it is. There is a structure similar to the liquid chamber 16 as shown in FIG. 4 but is short of the lid 17. In this embodiment, instead of the lid 17, the inverted container 16 is snugly vertically slidably engaged with the side wall of the liquid chamber 16 and set on a spring 53 compressed between a shoulder of the inverted container 16 and the bottom of the liquid chamber 16. A valve rod 47 similar to that shown in FIG. 4 is provided with an axially extended cavity 49 and blind axial ends. The blind cavity 49 is communicated with exterior by a top sidewise passage and a bottom sidewise passage 50'. The top end 48 of the valve rod 47 is pointed sharply so that an elastic cap 46 of the inverted container 16' may be thrust through by the pointed tip 48 and that the interior of the inverted container16' is communicated with the blind cavity 49 through the top sidewise passage, when the inverted container 16' is pushed down into the liquid chamber 16 against the action of the spring 53. Although the valve rod 39 is not connected with the valve body 44 in the structure shown in FIG. 4, the valve rod 47 shown in FIG. 5 is integrated with the valve body 44. The bottom sidewise passage 50 is closed 'by an elastic packing 51 during the valve rod 47 is released. When the valve rod 47 is lowered, the valve body 44 is lowered apart from the elastic packing 51 and the bottom sidewise passage 50 is opened so as to communicate the cavity 49 with the liquid jetting nozzle 29 through a chest formed under the valve body 44.

Although the outer casing 30 and its cap 31 are not illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, it is necessary to provide such members as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

The modifications shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 may be operated generally similarly to the liquid atomizer shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but the liquid chamber 16 shown in FIG. 3 is closed more surely by virtue of the elastic centrally perforated conical member 37. The liquid contained in the liquid chamber 16 shown in FIG. 4 is taken out thereof quantitatively by virtue of the provision of the quantitative chest 40 whenever operated.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, further modifications thereof will readily occur to those skilled in the art. -It should be understood therefore that the invention is not limited to the particular arrangements disclosed but that the appended claims are intended to cover all modifications which do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A liquid atomizer comprising a liquid chamber, a gas chamber separated from and arranged axially below said liquid chamber, a liquid jetting nozzle adapted to be communicable with said liquid chamber through a passage, a gas jetting nozzle adapted to be communicable with said gas chamber through another passage and arranged inwards and adjustably apart from said liquid jetting nozzle along a radial common axis so that said gas jetting nozzle may jet a gas contained in said gas chamber under pressure into the first-named passage between said two nozzles and that a liquid contained in said liquid chamber may be aspirated by the jetted gas and jetted through said liquid jetting nozzle with said gas, a means for controlling the pressure subjected to said liquid in said liquid chamber, and a means for mantling said two chambers, in which said means for controlling the pressure subjected to said liquid in said liquid chamber comprises 3 a lid for said liquid chamber provided with a small hole formed therethrough, and a semi-spherical elastic cap 6 adapted to be fixed on and to said lid above said small hole.

2. A liquid atomizer as claimed in claim '1, in which one of said two passages is provided with a quantitative chest arranged in series, of which an inlet and an outlet are adapted to be closed and opened alternatively and alternately so as to flow a predetermined volume of fluid therethrough.

3. A liquid atomizer as claimed in claim 2, in which the passage provided between said gas jetting nozzle and said gas chamber includes a quantitative chest separated from a suction pipe leading to the interior of said gas chamber by means of a semi-spherical elastic member formed with a central hole, said central hole being adapted to be closed by the bottom end of an axially movable valve rod so as to disconnect said quantitative chest from said suction pipe when said valve rod is lowered, and said lowered valve rod also functioning for communicating said quantitative chest with said gas jetting nozzle.

4. A liquid atomizer as claimed in claim 3, in which said semi-spherical elastic member is formed with an outer circumferential flange, and a lining member arranged just inside a cylindrical wall of said quantitative chest functions for securing said semi-spherical elastic member in place by setting the bottom edge of said lining member on said flange and also functions for adjusting the volume of said quantitative chest merely by substituting another lining member having another thickness for said lining member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,742,604 1/ 1930 Lemoine 239-308 2,658,796 11/1953 Kopperschmidt 239308 X 2,749,178 6/1956 Larson 239-308 X SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

